Tranquility
by Tifa Gainsborough
Summary: Aerith reflects on her feelings for Cloud and Zack. My take on what she was thinking when she died.


A long figure stood, light reflecting off the water danced across her face

A long figure stood, light reflecting off the water danced across her face. It was quiet except for the sound of water falling from some distance away. 

_It's so calming _she thought jumping to the first pillar. She stood on the first pillar eyes closed taking in the feel of her surroundings. Voices called to her answering her many questions. She felt more at peace here then she ever had in the church. 

_I'm home_ her mind whispered and she smiled at the thought. One voice stood out in her mind more than any of the others. It touched her soul in a way the others couldn't. It was pleading with her, asking her to turn back to retreat from deaths cold grip. _It's all right _she told it _I'm not scared._

"It's the truth," she whispered out loud jumping to the next pillar. She jumped the last few pillars and reached the dais. She stood by herself, but she was not alone, the planet spoke to her it reassured her and comforted her. But the voice was still there pleading, begging, hoping for a miracle that would never come. 

She felt the presence of three people the planet told her they were coming for her. He was with them she knew it for certain. He was coming to save her from a fate unavoidable. She wished she could explain to him that there was nothing wrong she had no fears. 

She lowered herself to her knees and looked out to the visions in front of her. _I suppose I never really loved him,_ she thought sadly _I loved the part of him that reminded me of someone else_. Whenever she looked into his eyes she saw another person. 

Their visions were so alike it was unnerving. She had gotten the surprise of her life when he had fallen through the ceiling and into her life. The shock that had coursed through her body she almost believed that he had returned. But it was not who she waited for instead it was somebody who she would never forget. 

He had looked so much like him, same outfit, same sword, same hair, same glowing eyes, he even stood so much like him. 

But he never whispered the words that soothed her soul or the caress that warmed her body. 

Her Cloud so much like her lost Zack. She had wanted to ask him so many questions. 

Had Cloud been there when Zack had died? 

Had Cloud comforted her beloved as he became apart of the planet? 

Zack had broken her heart when he had left. She had believed Cloud would fill that missing part but it had not happened as she had wished it too. 

He was not Zack, no matter how much she willed herself to believe it. She knew in her heart it was not he. The sound of footsteps approached and she looked over. 

Cloud was there along with Tifa and Cid. Tifa, the woman she had called her friend. The group believed them to be at arms over Cloud but it just wasn't true. She had no hate in her heart for Tifa. Tifa loved Cloud, she loved Cloud for the part of him that was Zack. 

She closed her eyes and prayed to the planet. Prayed that her friends escaped this place safely. She would not go with them, her fate awaited her far from them. She felt Cloud coming towards her jumping the pillars as she had earlier. A presence lurked above her hidden from her friends by the shadows. 

That was where her fate was calling her. 

She would not face this challenge through battle but another way. But not now, the time would come another day. Somebody was yelling yet it sounded so far away. 

She opened her eyes slowly and looked up at Cloud looming over her. He had his sword raised ready to deliver a blow that would surly kill her, but it never came. He slowly backed up and stared at her. 

Reflected light danced across his face as he continued to look down at her almost puzzled. Something fell from the ceiling, Cloud could not sense it but she could and she wasn't afraid. 

Cold steel pierced her body, jerking her forward. It slid slowly from her body dragging her life with it. 

Arms caught her as she drifted forward. 

Voices spoke but she couldn't hear them over the voices that screamed in her head. Her eyes began to lose focus as she took one last look at Sephiroth's cold mako eyes. She had no anger for him she never had. 

Aerith's eyes drifted shut and she joined her beloved in the lifestream. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Authors Note:** My take on Aerith's feelings. Like it, hate it, I like it. This is an old story I'm just updating it in html. Aerith and Cloud fans may not have liked this, because I like Aerith and Zack pairing better. Not in first person because I loath writing in first person, I always find myself putting my own voice in the characters. 

**Disclaimer**: Nothing belongs to me.

Review Please


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